SPARKLING spring sunshine brought young pancake racers out in their hundreds.

In Great Ayton more than 230 children turned out for a traditional Shrove Tuesday event thought to go back hundreds of years.

And in Middlesbrough and Stockton, hundreds more grabbed their pans.

In Sedgefield, the traditional town Ball Game caused a flurry of activity.

Great Ayton’s pancake races, held on the High Green, drew a huge crowd of mums and dads, grans and grandads to watch hard-fought contests.

Children taking part were aged from two to seven and included youngsters from Scallywags and Sunnyfield nurseries and Roseberry Community and Marwood Primary Schools.

The event had to be cancelled last year due to bad weather.

Joint organiser Daniel Matuszak said: “There’s been an excellent crowd this year - lots of parents and children. The children have loved it - and some are very competitive. It’s a superb village tradition.”

Every child taking part received a chocolate prize, with certificates for the winners.

Sponsors were McColls, of Great Ayton, with Mike Heagney setting the course.

A flippin’ fab time was also had by three pancake enthusiasts at the Gazette when a pancake race took to the streets of Stockton.

The Evening Gazette team of Carl O’Hara, Sarah Judd and Julia Sweetman were joined by TFM, ITV Tyne Tees and Stockton Council.

Local charities The George Hardwick Foundation and the Eastern Ravens Trust, and teams from Debenhams and Who-ray also took part.

Eventual winner was the George Hardwick Foundation which went away with £500.

Ingrid Brough-Williams, centre manager for the foundation which supports carers in Stockton, said: “We are moving to a new building and so the money will pay for a hair basin for our new spa.

“We had such a great time.”

Supporters of Normanby’s Zoe’s Place baby hospice held their pancake race at Teesside Shopping Park yesterday with proceeds to the hospice.

Meanwhile, mayhem reigned in Sedgefield when hundreds descended to take part in the ancient Ball Game, which dates back to the 13th century.

This year it was started by 90-year-old Jenny Waite, who has lived in Sedgefield for 71 years.

The great-gran said: “My father-in-law, Herbert, used to make the ball. Years ago all the families had their heavy boots and it was very, very rough but now it’s a kids’ game.”